Shower bathing apparatus



July 2, 1929. J GILLESPlE 1.719.696

SHOWER BATHING APPARATUS Original Filed June 8, 1928 gwventoz Patented July 2, 1929.

UNITED STATES v v 1,719,696 p ra-ur'orrjlcl-z. f

ROBERT J. GILLESPIE, OF sr. MARTm'sv LL LooIsIAiiA, ASSIGNOR or ONE-FOURTH TO HENRY RANDAZZO, ONE-FOURTH T0 AVERY LANDRY, AND ONE-FOURT 'ro BERT J'ACOIBSON, ALL or $1. MARTIN'SVILLE, Louisiana.

SHOW R BATHING APPARATUS. I

Application filed June 8, 1928, Serial No. 288,930. Renewed May 22, 1929.

This invention relates to shower bath apparatus. V

In many localities, especially in country, suburban and rural districts, homes are generallynot provided with bathing facilities,

and fromthe viewpoint of health oftentimes occupants of homes thuslocated are handicapped and prevented fromtaking that care of themselves or their bodies which is essentialtogood health. These localities or districts are not provided with water power systems whereby running water is provided in the homes or outbuildings, with the result that the occupants of these homes are there fore unable to enjoy the privileges and effects inuring from shower bath equipment.

It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide asimple, inexpensive, durable, eflicient and effective shower bath apparatus for installation in localities and places Where water power plants do not exist and yet obtain highly satisfactory shower bath results. 1

Another object of the invention resides in the provisionof a shower bath apparatus for installation in localities where no water powor systems are in operation, andwhich may be economically and readily installed and operated by all members of the family for effective bathing purposes.

-With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and'arrangement of .parts hereinafter described, illustrated in. the accompanying drawinggand set forth in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in theform, size, and

- minor details of construction, within thescope of the claims, may be resorted to with out departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof. 7

In the drawing: v 1 a v Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention installed and showing the apparatus when not in use.

Fig. 2, is a side elevation showing the invention with the parts positioned for shower bathing-purposes v 5 Fig.3 is. a sectional view on the line 22 ofFig. 2. j a v t Fig. 4 isa modified. form of means for maintainingthe supporting elements of'the tion. a

water containernormally in elevated 'posi- Fig. "5 is a detail sectional View,

Referring now more Particularly to the accompanying drawing, the reference character Gmdrcates a support composed of wood orother suitable material which may be 815 tened by screws 7 or otherwise to a wall 8,

orothe'r suitable support. V Y

The characters 9 and 10 indicateupper and lower brackets, respectively, secured in any suitable manner to the base 6, each includ-; ing a pair of spaced ears 11, each ear be ing perforated, and one ear of each pair having its perforation screw threaded to receive the respective screw threaded bolt 13.

An arm 14 formed preferablyyof metal, and which may be tubular or solid, is swingingly mounted in the lower bracket 10. .To this end the arm 14 is exteriorly screw threaded at its lowerend to receive the interiorly screw threaded sleeve 15, provided with a lug 16 which is perforated to receive 1 the respective bolt which fits in the ears ofv the lower bracket 10,whereby to swingingly mountthearm from its lower end between the ears of the lower bracket 10.

A screwthreaded sleeve 18 is'fitted onthe upper end'ofthearm 14. and is provided with a lug 19 having a perforation 20L This lug 19 is adapted to supportrigidly a substantially semi-circular or other form of support .21. This support 21- is adapted to swingingly suspend a bucket or other water containing receptacle 22, and has a perforation 23 through which a threaded bolt 24 may bepassedand a firm and rigid connection between the. support 21 ,and lug 19 I efi'ected'by meansof a nut 25 threaded on the bolt 24, as shown. 7

The receptacle 22 maybe of metal Many other suitable material, audit is swingingly suspendedfrom the support'21 in anysuitable manner, but, as shown,it is supported preferably by means -of threaded bolts 26 which passthrough the sides of the receptacle 22, nuts27 being threaded on the'bolts 26 to prevent accidental disconnection of thereceptaclefrom its support. I I

. Fitted in any suitablefmanner, and preferably centrally of the receptacle, is a, valved sleeve '28 to which a hose'29 may be secured in anysuitable manner. spray noz zle: 30

is secured to the outer end of the hose 29. When the receptacle is filled=with water, 1t is obvious that by manipulating the valve handle 31 to open the valve, the water will flow freely from the receptacle and through the hose and the nozzle. The receptacle may contain any amount of water, say forinstance, four gallons, more or less, and the device may be mounted at any suitable elevation.

The arm 14 is preferably maintained in upright position so as to be normally out of the way, and when swung downwardly it is prep ferred that it not swing beyond a substantially horizontal position and at a. suitable in the ears of the upperbracket 9 and threaded in the threaded perforation ofone of the ears.

The link 35 is provided at its inner end with a laterally offsetlhook 38 which is adapted to engage overthe upper edge of the link 33 as the links. 33 and 35 alignand lock the. pivot point 34 slightly beyond dead center so as to prevent accidental folding ofthe links and thereby prevent an accidental elevation of the arm 14 from a substantially horizontal to a substantially vertical position.

It will be understood that the arm 14 is normally maintained in a'substantially ver-" tical position with the links folded, and when the arm 14 is swung to'a substantially horizontal position, and the links 33 and 35 there-' byunfolded, until ,the hook 38 locks'the' links to prevent accidental upward movementiof the arm, to unlock the locking connection between the links 33and 35, that is to say, torelease the locking hook 38 from engagement'with the link 33, itis simply necessary for theuser orother person to strike a slight blow against the under side of the link 33 to thereby break the locked joint between the links, rendering it an easy matterto swing the arm to its substantially vertical position.

A coiled spring 39, secured to the base 6 at 40, may be utilized to exert pressure atthe point'41' againstthe arm14'to facilitate the upwardmovement of the arm and'to maintain the arm in itsIsubstant-ially vertical position with the receptacle empty or containing water, andyet, whether the receptacle contains'wateror not, the locking jointbetween the lin'ks 33 and 35 is such as to overcome the tension of the spring, 39 when the arm is locked insubstantially horizontal position.

lnstead'of'the spring 39, other means may be employed forexertingpressure against the arm. 14 to normally maintain the latter in its substantially vertical position. For instance,

by way of modification, it will be seen by reference to Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawing that a weight 42 of any suitable character maybe connected by a cable 43 passed over a'pulley 44 andconnectedto the upper end ofthe arm- '14. When the weight is employed, the base ismade longer and extends upwardly to or adjacentthe end of the swinging arm so that said pulley may be mounted directly in the base. Except for the substitution of a weight controlling means for the arm 14 to maintain the latter normally in vertical position, and the lengthening of the base, the apparatus is notaltered.

Whether a springor a weight be employed for. maintaining the arm 14 normally in verticalfposition, it may be desired at timesto have associatedwith the apparatus a curtain, which is shown in part at 45, andthis curtain if'used is preferably parted at the front. This curtain is suspended from a curtain supporting element 46 in any suitable manher, and this curtain supporting element 46 is secured byymeans of suitable fastenings 47 to the upper end of the base 6 above the upper bracket'9.

From the foregoing it will be seen that there is provided a'simple and inexpensiveapparatus particularly adapted for use in country or outlying districts, and through the m'strumentality of which persons not at'present'provided with bathing apparatus may possess themselves of and enjoy the effects of shower bathing at comparatively little expense, and by virtue of which persons not equipped at all with bathing apparatus will be enabled to utilize bathing facilities even though their homes or localities are not provided with water powersystems.

What is claimed is:

1. In anapparatus 'of'the character described, a base, an arm pivotally mounted on thebase to swing in a verticalplane, links pivotally connected at their inner ends and at their outer ends pivoted respectively-one to the base and the other to the arm,the links folding and unfolding with the movements of the arm, a supporting elementconnectedto the outer end of the arm, a receptacle swingingly suspended from said supporting element, means to maintain the arm and receptacle in elevated position, and means connected to one of said links and'cooperating with the other of said linksto maintain the arm and receptacle lowered againstthe elevating action of the aforesaid means.

2. In an apparatus of the characterdescribed, a base, an arm pivoted thereon to swing in a vertical plane and to assume a substantially vertical position and also to asi porting element connected to the outer end ofthe arm, a receptacle swingingly suspended from said supporting element, means to maintain the arm normally in substantially vertical position and thereby elevate the receptacle, and means co-acting with the links to maintain the arm in substantially horizontal position and the receptacle lowered against the elevatin action of the aforesaid means, the receptac e having a valved outlet, and a nozzle operatively connected to said outlet.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, a base, upper and lower brackets secured to the base, an arm pivotally connected to the lower bracket and adapted to swing in a vertical plane, links pivotally connected to gether at their inner ends and at their outer ends pivoted respectively one to the upper bracket and the other to said arm below the upper end of the latter, a supporting element connected to the outeruend of the arm,

a receptacle pivotally suspended from said supporting element, the receptacle having a valved discharge outlet, means to maintain the arm and receptacle normally in elevated position, the arm and receptacle being adapted to be lowered against the action of said means, and a locking device adapted to maintain the arm and receptacle in their lowered positions against the actions of said elevating means. I

' 4. In an apparatus of the character described, a base, upper and lower brackets secured to the base, an arm pivotally connected to the lower bracket and adapted to swing said supporting element, the receptacle having a valved discharge outlet, means to maintam the arm and receptacle normally in elevated position, the arm and receptacle being adapted to be lowered against the action of saidmeans, a locking device adapted to maintain the arm and receptacle in their lowered positions against the action of said elevating means, a curtain supporting element secured to said base, and a curtain suspended from the curtain supporting element.

5. In, an apparatus of the character described, an arm pivotally mounted to swing in a vertical plane, a receptacle supporting element secured to the outer end of the arm, a receptacle swingingly connected to said supporting element and provided with a valved outlet, means whereby to maintain the arm normally in a substantially vertical position with the receptacle elevated therewith, and means to maintain the arm lowered in a substantially horizontal position with the receptacle lowered therewith against the-ac-- tion of said means to normally elevate the ROBERT J. GILLESPIE. 

